She Knows He Likes it Sweet
by AlwaysHopelessRomantic95
Summary: Rumbelle coffee shop AU inspired by a fan mix my bestie Shelby made :) Belle is a new waitress in a diner, where she meets and quickly falls for her most frequent customer, Adam Gold. (I also stole the cover art from her, so photo creds to Shelby. Follow her on twitter @SimplyShelbs16) Find the mix here: 8tracks .com/simplyshelbs16xoxo/she-knows-he-likes-it-sweet
1. Chapter 1

"Belle, can you take that table?" Belle heard Granny call from the back room of the diner she had just started working at. Belle looked up from her work at the cash register and saw Granny nodding to a table near the back of the diner, where a man was sitting by himself.

"Sure thing," Belle said, hitting some buttons on the register and hoping she hadn't messed it up. The diner didn't have the most extensive training for its new waitresses, and Belle sometimes felt like she went about her job making things up as she went along. She didn't mind it though. Granny wasn't very demanding, and Belle had a lot of freedom at her job. Overall, she liked working at the diner, even if she felt kind of incompetent sometimes.

Belle grabbed a menu and a set of silverware and headed over to the table in the back. The man sitting there was reading the newspaper, and Belle thought he looked rather pretentious in his suit and tie, with a cane resting against the edge of the table. Nonetheless, Belle put on a smile and approached the table.

"Good morning sir," she said, and the man put down his paper.

"Good morning to you, dearie," he said, flashing Belle a disarming smile.

Belle blinked, returning his smile automatically. "Um…" she stuttered, "Here's our menu." She laid the menu on the table. "Would you like to hear today's specials?"

The man smiled again and shook his head. "That's alright," he said. "I'll just take some coffee."

"Right," Belle said, picking the menu back up. "I guess you won't be needing this then," she said. The man laughed, and Belle grinned. She decided she liked his laugh. "Uh, do you want cream and sugar in your coffee?" Belle asked.

The man nodded his head, and Belle watched the way his hair moved as he did so. "Yes please," he said, looking up at her from his seat.

Belle quickly realized she was staring, and, blushing, shook her head and put her polite waitress smile back on.

Sensing Belle didn't know what to say, the man gave her another disarming smile and said, "I like my coffee sweet."

"Right," Belle said, trying not to blush harder. "I'll be right back with that." She all but ran back to the back of the diner, giggling to herself once she knew she was out of earshot.

Belle went over to their coffee machine and started preparing the coffee when she heard Ruby coming up behind her. Belle prayed Ruby hadn't seen the exchange at the table, or she feared she'd never hear the end of it.

Belle had no such luck.

"Who was that?" Ruby asked, coming up beside Belle and leaning back on the counter, crossing her arms over her chest and grinning, making it clear she wanted the full story.

Belle, doing her best to look nonchalant, shrugged. "Just a customer," she said, trying not to grin.

"Oh, really?" Ruby teased. "Belle, come on. You were clearly staring."

"I was not!" Belle said indignantly.

Ruby just laughed. "Please, you so were."

Belle blushed ferociously. "Was I that obvious?" she whispered.

Ruby laughed even harder, playfully slapping Belle's shoulder. "Girl, why do you think he said, 'I like my coffee sweet'?"

Belle's eyes widened. "You heard that?"

"Of course!" Ruby gave Belle a look of mock indignation. "You think I'd miss out on a piece of gossip like that?"

"Ruby!" Belle chided as she added the cream and sugar to the coffee.

"What?" Ruby asked. "I can't help it."

Belle laughed and shook her head. "I'd better go deliver this," she said, holding up the cup of coffee.

"Mmmmhm," Ruby murmured, and then laughed.

Belle rolled her eyes at her friend and turned back out into the diner. She put her polite waitress smile back on and strolled out toward the table. As she approached, she heard Ruby whistle at her from the back, and Belle's face flushed again. She hoped the man hadn't heard that.

When she approached the table, the grin on his face said he had.

"Uh, here's your coffee," Belle said nervously, her hand shaking as she lifted the cup from the tray.

The man looked up and met Belle's eyes, and Belle got distracted by the look he was giving her.

Only a moment later did she realize she had dropped the coffee cup.

"Oh no!" Belle said, "I'm so sorry! I… I'll clean this up and get you a new cup…"

To Belle's relief and slight embarrassment, the man laughed. At least he wasn't angry. He reached down and picked up the cup, at the same moment Ruby came over and handed some towels to Belle.

"Don't worry dearie," the man said, a hint of laughter in his voice. He held up the cup. "It's only chipped, not ruined."

Belle smiled, and took the cup from him after mopping up the spilled coffee with her towels. "Yeah," she said, inspecting the cup, "just chipped."

She sat the cup back on her tray and picked it up. The man was still watching her with a slightly sympathetic smile on his face. "Anyway…" Belle said, meeting his eyes again, "I'd better get you another cup."

"No need," the man said with a grin. "Just use that one again. It isn't broken, after all."

"Right," Belle nodded. "I'll be right back." Once again, she retreated to the back room in embarrassment.

Ruby was waiting for her again, a knowing smile on her face. "Beeeeeellle," she said, shaking her head.

"I know, I know," Belle said, pushing past Ruby and preparing more coffee. Ruby just watched her with a grin.

Once the coffee was done, Belle headed back out to the table. She was determined to get it right this time. She set the cup of coffee on the table before she even looked at the man sitting there. "Here's your coffee… Again," she said with a laugh, finally looking up.

She wasn't surprised to find the man already smiling at her. "Thank you," he paused, looking down at her name tag, "Belle."

Belle just smiled, again at a loss for words. It was a strange feeling for her. She usually always knew what to say.

"It's a lovely name," he said.

Belle grinned. "Why, thank you," she replied, hoping he would offer his own name. She wasn't sure if it would be polite to ask.

Unfortunately, the man turned back to his paper and his coffee, and Belle retreated.

Belle watched from behind the diner counter as the man finished his coffee and read the paper. She couldn't decide what it was about him, but she couldn't stop watching. There was something captivating about the stranger, but she couldn't put it into words.

Her musing stopped as the man got up from the table and turned toward the counter. Belle looked down at the cash register and tried to pretend to be busy, hoping it looked like she hadn't been watching him.

The man came up to the register, and Belle rang up his coffee. "That'll be three dollars and ten cents," she said, finally having to look up and meet his eyes once again.

The man handed her a card. Belle took the opportunity to covertly look at the name on the card. _Adam Gold,_ she thought, _what an interesting name_. She ran his card and handed it back to him with a smile.

He took the card, meeting her eyes once more. "Have a wonderful day Belle," he said quietly.

"You too, sir," Belle said.

He smiled. "You can call me Adam."

"Right," Belle said, blushing once again. "You have a wonderful day too then, Adam."

He laughed once more, and turned to go. Belle watched him as he walked out of the diner, wondering why she couldn't seem to stop wondering who this mysterious Adam Gold really was.


	2. Chapter 2

The following day, Belle came in to work with a happy smile. Ruby met her at the door shortly before the diner opened, and grinned when she saw Belle's excited energy.

"Either you've been helping yourself to our coffee, or someone has a crush," Ruby chided her friend.

Belle laughed. "It's just a good day, Ruby," she said.

"Totally," Ruby said. "You just keep telling yourself that Belle," she laughed.

Belle shook her head and waved off Ruby's comment, then went about opening the cash register and turning on all the machines. She put on a pot of coffee, and checked to make sure they had plenty of cream and sugar. She told herself that wasn't anything out of the ordinary, that's what she had done every other day of her shift, right?

Belle continued prepping the diner for the morning, and soon enough she heard the bell on the door ring. When she looked up, she was delighted to see Adam Gold walk in the door. Belle quickly ran to the back of the diner before he could see her, and grabbed the cup she had used the day before. The chipped one. She filled it with fresh coffee and loaded it with sugar and cream. Smiling to herself, Belle went to deliver the coffee to Adam, who was sitting in the back booth where he had been the day before.

This time, Belle managed to set the cup down without any mishaps.

"Hello again," Belle said, placing the coffee down. "Need a menu today?"

Adam laughed. "No, this is perfect, thank you Belle," he said.

Belle grinned. "Well," she said, trying to seem casual, "let me know if you need anything else." She turned to go.

"Uh, Belle?" Adam said, and Belle turned around, a questioning look on her face. "They were out of newspapers at my usual stand today," he said. His voice had a strange sound to it, and Belle thought he almost sounded nervous. She waited patiently for him to continue. "Since it seems you don't have any other patrons at the moment," he said, gesturing to the empty diner, "I could use someone to talk to."

Belle smiled, then shrugged. "Well," she said, "we did just open." However, she didn't protest, and slid into the booth opposite him. She risked a glance over at the counter, and saw Ruby grinning at her like an idiot. Belle ignored Ruby and turned back to the man across from her. The man just smiled at her, so Belle figured he was waiting for her to say something this time. "So," she said, hoping she didn't sound as nervous as she actually was. "Tell me about you. Who is Adam Gold?"

Adam simply shrugged. "Not much to tell, really," he said demurely.

That seemed to be all he wanted to say, but Belle pushed for more. "Are you from around here?" Adam nodded, but didn't elaborate. _I thought he wanted company,_ Belle mused. "So," she continued, "what do you do?"

"I'm a pawnbroker," he said. "Not the most glamourous job, but it pays the bills."

Belle grinned. "Don't complain," Belle laughed, "I'm a waitress."

He laughed at that, and Belle relaxed a little. Then she realized something. "Gold's Pawnshop," she said, looking at him. Adam said nothing, just looked back at her. "Do you own it?"

Again, he nodded, smiling, but didn't say more. _Not much of a conversationist,_ Belle thought. "What about your family?" She asked, leaning her head on her hand and smiling at him.

"It's just me and my boy," Adam responded, looking away wistfully. He sighed, looking back at Belle, his face falling slightly. "His mother died years ago, and he's the only family I have."

Belle gave him a sad, sympathetic look. "Oh," she said, "I'm sorry."

Adam shook his head, forcing a smile back on his face. "It's alright," he said, waving his hand as if to clear the sudden sadness away. "But enough about me. Tell me about you."

"Well," Belle began, but was cut off by the ringing of the bell on the front door. She looked up to see a family come in and sit down only a few tables away. They were still in her section, and other than Ruby, Belle was the only waitress on staff for the morning. She looked around frantically, hoping to get Ruby's attention, but she was nowhere in sight.

Sighing, Belle looked back at Adam. "I'm sorry," she said, "but I should really go help them."

"Don't worry dearie," he responded with a smile. Belle gave him one more smile, and regretfully got up from the booth and went to get menus for the family.

The family kept her busy for a while, but once she was finished getting all their food she looked back to the booth in the back. To her dismay, it was empty. Belle sighed and went to clean off the table. Next to the empty chipped cup, there was his bill, some money, and a folded piece of paper. Curious, Belle picked up the paper. On it was a handwritten note.

 _Belle,_

 _It was wonderful talking to you today. See you tomorrow._

 _-A. Gold_

Belle smiled, pocketing the note and wishing tomorrow morning would get here sooner.


	3. Chapter 3

When Adam Gold walked in to the diner the next morning, he was delighted to find a steaming cup of coffee sitting on his usual table in the back of the diner. He went and sat down, noticing with a grin that the cup was chipped on the corner. Picking up the coffee, Adam looked around the diner. Belle was nowhere in sight. Frowning, he drank his coffee, wondering where she was.

A few minutes later, Belle emerged from the back room of the diner and made her way over to Adam's table, a pretty smile on her face. Adam found that he liked her smile, and couldn't help but return it.

"Good morning Belle," he said as she approached his table. "Thank you for the coffee. I can't imagine how you knew exactly what I wanted," he said jokingly, eliciting a laugh from Belle. He decided he liked her laugh too.

"Well," Belle said, leaning one hand on the table and tilting her head, "I am a quick learner," she grinned.

Adam chuckled. "And I must be fairly predictable."

Belle laughed. "Can I get you anything else? Do you actually want some food today?"

Adam shook his head. "No thank you," he said. "But, I do believe you owe me a story. As I recall, you were about to tell me about yourself yesterday," he said, gesturing to the empty booth across from him with a welcoming smile.

"I suppose I was," Belle said, sitting down, "before I was rather rudely interrupted," she said with mock indignation.

Adam laughed. "Duty calls sometimes, dearie."

Belle sighed, "I suppose," she said. "Anyway, where did we leave off yesterday?"

Adam looked pensive. "Well," he said, "you were going to tell me about yourself."

Belle simply looked at him, a slight smile on her face.

Adam saw what Belle was doing, and gave her a sly grin. If she wanted to make him lead the conversation today, he would do just that. "So," he said, "I already know what you do," she nodded, and he continued. "So, tell me about _your_ family."

Belle's smile grew nostalgic, and she looked away. "It's just me and my father," she said. "My mother died years ago as well."

Adam watched her, amazed at the depths of the sadness and nostalgia he could see in her bright blue eyes. He found himself wishing he could make her pain disappear and bring back the playful smile from a few moments before.

Realizing he was staring, Adam shook his head and said, "I'm sorry Belle…"

She looked back up at him, her smile returning, although it was a rather faint echo of the one she had been wearing before. "It's alright," she said. "It was a long time ago."

He nodded, trying to think of a way to change the subject. "So…." He said, "what do you like to do? What does Belle do when she isn't bringing people coffee?" He said with a smile.

Belle laughed, and Adam was relieved to see some light return to her beautiful eyes. He watched as she talked, admiring the way she looked when she talked about things she liked. She got this far-off look in her eyes, and Adam found himself entranced by the way her beautiful brown hair framed her face.

He realized too late that he'd missed what she said, and snapped back to attention to catch the very end of her statement. "…pretty much it. Reading and hanging out with Ruby takes up most of my free time," Belle said. "Not very exciting, I know," she finished with a self-deprecating laugh.

Adam fervently hoped she hadn't noticed him staring. "Reading is a perfectly legitimate pass time," he said, not being able to think of anything more profound to say at the moment.

"I suppose," Belle said with a smile, looking relieved. "Do you read much?"

"Oh, occasionally," he responded. "I have many books in my shop, although I don't have much time to devote to reading."

"Really?" Belle asked excitedly. "What kinds of books do you have?"

Adam grinned, glad that he had found something to interest her. "Oh, all sorts," he said, waving his hand. "I'd be glad to show them to you if you stop by the shop someday," he invited, hoping he wouldn't scare her away by being so forward.

To his relief, Belle grinned in excitement. "I'd love that!" She exclaimed, and Adam couldn't help but smile back.

Unfortunately, he heard the annoying bell ring at the front of the diner again, and Belle sighed. "I suppose that means duty calls again," he said, trying not to sound disappointed.

Belle nodded, frowning. "I better go," she said, rising from the booth and smoothing out her apron. "It was great talking to you again."

Adam gave her the best, least disappointed smile he could manage. "Until next time, dearie," he said.

Belle smiled. "See you tomorrow."


	4. Chapter 4

"Belle," Ruby called from the front of the diner. "Belle!"

Belle stopped pouring the cup of coffee she was working on and went toward the front of the diner where Ruby's voice was coming from. "What?" she asked as she approached the front counter where Ruby was working the cash register.

Ruby grinned mischievously and nodded toward the back of the diner. "Your man's here."

Belle playfully punched Ruby's arm. "He's not 'my man'", she said.

"Riiiiiight," Ruby laughed, and Belle frowned at her. "Go get the man his coffee Belle," she said.

Belle rolled her eyes and went to the back, finding the sugar and mixing up Adam's coffee. When it was ready, she took it out and set it down. "Sorry the coffee is a bit late today," Belle said with a smile.

"It's alright Belle," Adam responded, mirroring her smile. "Your friend giving you a hard time?" He asked, nodding toward the counter where Ruby leaned, watching them with interest.

Belle glanced back at Ruby with a warning look, and Ruby held up her hands in mock surrender and retreated to the back room with a laugh. Belle sighed. "That's Ruby," was all she could think of to say.

"Ah, the one you mentioned yesterday?" Adam asked.

Belle nodded. "That's the one."

Adam was about to ask Belle to sit again, but the door opened and a group of people walked in, sitting just one table over. He sighed.

Belle looked at the booth across from him regretfully. "I'm sorry," she said.

He forced a smile on his face. "Duty calls," he said.

Belle gave him a faint smile. "Yeah." Belle met his eyes with a smile once more, and then moved off to help the other people.

Adam watched from his table as Belle went to get some menus, and then walked up to the other table with a smile. He couldn't help but notice that her smile was different. More forced. It was as if she was smiling at them only to be polite, and the way she had smiled at him had been more real.

 _You're just kidding yourself,_ he thought. _She's not interested in you._ The logical part of him knew that Belle could never like someone like him. But another, smaller part of him remembered the look on her face when she'd seen him this morning, and he couldn't find that same excitement on her face when she helped the other customers.

With a sigh, Adam turned back to his coffee, lest Ruby or someone else catch him watching Belle. Last thing he needed was that girl to mess up the thing he had with Belle.

 _What thing?_ He thought, catching himself. _There is no_ thing. _There probably never will be a thing._

Regardless, he couldn't keep himself from watching Belle as she brought food out for the other table. He marveled at the way she walked, carrying a tray so gracefully in her high heels. He imagined that wasn't easy. He watched as she chatted with Ruby, and then quickly averted his eyes when she glanced over toward his table.

A short while later, when Belle was in the back room and the other customers still had yet to leave, Adam realized it was time for him to go. He had to get back to the shop and meet a client about buying something. With a sigh, he rose from the table and reached for the bag he had hidden under the table. He didn't usually carry a bag, and he hadn't wanted Belle to see it and ask him what was in it. He pulled out the only thing in the bag and set in gently on the table. Then he put down some money to pay for the coffee, and found another piece of paper on which to leave a note. When he was finished with that, he looked back to make sure Belle was still in the back, and strode out of the diner, feeling proud of himself.

* * *

When the other customers finally left, Belle went to the back and gathered her cleaning supplies to go clean off the tables. She headed to the back of the diner, noticing something laying on the table next to Adam's empty chipped coffee cup. Curious, Belle went to check it out.

Approaching the table, she noticed he had left her a note again. She picked up the money and put that in her money pouch, then read the note.

 _Belle,_

 _I wish we had gotten to talk more today. However, I wanted to leave you this. I hope you like it. It's one of my favorites, and I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I have._

 _Your friend,_

 _Adam_

Belle looked down at the table and saw a small, hardcover book laying there. Her eyes widened, and she quickly looked around to see if anyone was watching her. Satisfied that she was alone for the moment, Belle smiled and picked up the book.

" _The Land of Magic_ ," she read in a whisper to herself. The book was bound in leather, and said nothing more than the title on the front. Belle didn't know what to think. She sat down in the booth, cracking the book open and marveling at the illustrations. It was an old book, and was full of text, but each chapter had one, faded illustration on the first page. Belle flipped through it, all the while imagining Adam sitting in his stuffy pawn shop reading this book. The image made her laugh.

"Belle?"

Belle looked up, closing the book and hiding the note in her pocket, blushing.

"What is that?" Granny asked, standing over Belle.

"Oh, uh, nothing," Belle said, standing up and hiding the book behind her back.

"Belle," Granny sighed, "what did I tell you about reading while you're at work?"

Belle almost laughed; she had completely forgotten the conversation she'd had with Granny the week before about reading at work. She was just relieved Granny didn't know where she'd gotten the book. "Sorry Granny," Belle said, doing her best to look chastised. "I'll just finish cleaning these tables off."

Granny smiled, shaking her head. "Alright Belle, but no more reading at work."

"Got it," Belle said, returning to work with a relieved grin.

She'd just have to wait until she got home to read the book.


	5. Chapter 5

Belle arrived early to work the next morning, opening the diner before either Granny or Ruby arrived. When she went in, turning all the lights on, she went over to the now-familiar booth in the back of the diner and sat down. She reached into her purse and pulled out a pad of small paper and her favorite blue pen, and got to writing.

 _Dear Adam,_

 _I'm sorry I didn't get to say goodbye to you yesterday._

 _I just wanted to say thank you for the book. It's beautiful, and I stayed up half the night last night reading it. Thank you for sharing it with me._

 _I hope we get to talk more today._

 _Belle_

She left a large space before her name, unsure of what kind of ending she wanted to use. What to write? He'd already used "your friend," and "sincerely" seemed too formal. She almost wrote "love," but she thought better of that.

Belle tapped the end of the pen against her chin, trying to think of a suitable salutation. Before she could write anything, however, she heard the sound of keys in the front door and realized Granny and Ruby were on their way in. Belle hurriedly put the pen and rest of the paper in her bag, leaving the note on the table and making her way to the cash register, acting as if she had already been busy opening it for the day.

"Good morning Belle," Granny said, a look of surprise on her face. "You're here early."

Belle gave her what she hoped was a nonchalant smile. "Woke up early this morning," she lied.

Ruby gave her a knowing look, and once Granny turned away Belle sneered at her friend, making Ruby laugh. To Belle's relief, Granny didn't seem to hear.

"Well Belle," Ruby said, a bit louder than necessary. "I'll take over here, if you want to, I don't know, go put on the coffee pots?" She winked at Belle, who rolled her eyes and shook her head, laughing. She sincerely hoped Granny didn't notice anything odd about the way Ruby was talking.

"Thanks, Rubs," she said, relinquishing her position behind the register and heading to the back to start brewing the coffee.

A few minutes later, Belle heard the bell on the front door chime, and she smiled to herself. She poured and mixed the coffee as usual, going over possible conversations in her mind. What would she say to him today? Should she ask more questions about him, or try to get him to lead the conversation?

Belle laughed at herself, realizing how stupid she sounded. _You're acting like a teenager flirting in the lunchroom,_ she chided herself. _You're a grown woman, start acting like it._ With that, Belle put on a determined smile, and headed out into the diner.

As she made her way toward the door that lead out to the main room of the diner, Belle heard familiar voices. To her dismay, she recognized Mary Margaret's voice. She appeared to be chatting with Ruby. Since Belle had only heard the door open once, she decided to set down the cup of coffee she was carrying and grab a menu instead.

Belle put on her polite waitress smile, and, despite her disappointment, she headed out into the diner.

When she walked out, Belle stopped short, almost dropping the menu in her hand.

Mary Margaret was sitting at Adam's table.

Where she'd left the note.

And the way Ruby was leaning over her shoulder, it appeared they'd found it.

Belle momentarily considered running back to the back and hiding in embarrassment, but before she could move Ruby looked up and saw her.

"So, his name's Adam huh?" She laughed.

Belle just stood there in shock.

"Oh come on over Belle," Ruby said. When Belle didn't move, Ruby walked over and grabbed her friend by the arm, pulling her over to the table.

"So, who's the new guy Belle?" Mary Margaret asked with a grin.

Belle, finally regaining her composure, snatched the note out of her hand and frowned at them. To her annoyance, this just caused the other two to laugh even more.

"It's nothing," Belle said, her face red from both embarrassment and anger.

"Oh, Belle, don't be like that," Ruby said, putting her hand on Belle's shoulder. "You know we're just teasing you."

Belle's anger subsided at that, although her face remained red. "Really though," she muttered. "It's nothing."

"Doesn't look like nothing," Mary Margaret said in her sing-song voice. She then turned to Ruby, faking a look of deep concentration. "Adam…. Do we know anyone in this town named Adam?"

Ruby pretended to look pensive as well. "I've seen him in here flirting with her the last few days…"

"Ruby!" Belle protested.

"…But I didn't recognize him," Ruby continued, as though Belle hadn't said anything.

"Oh!" Mary Margaret said, a look of triumph on her face. "Isn't Adam Mr. Gold's first name?"

"You mean the pawnbroker?" Ruby asked. Mary Margaret nodded. "Yeah, I think it is." Ruby turned to Belle, a look of approval on her face, and nodded appreciatively. She playfully hit Belle on the shoulder with the menu she had in her hand and said, "Good catch girl."

"What?" Belle asked, confused.

"Well, the man's loaded," Mary Margaret said.

Before anyone could say more, the door opened again, and Belle turned around a bit too quickly to be inconspicuous, and the other two girls giggled again when they saw the look of dismay on Belle's face as David Nolan walked in.

David took in the scene before him, then smiled and approached the girls. "What are you girls chatting about?" He asked good-naturedly. "Looks like a secret girl conference back here."

"Belle has a crush," Mary Margaret sang, and Belle's face turned even more red.

"I do not!" She protested, but the color of her face said otherwise.

David sat down next to Mary Margaret, giving her a quick kiss and putting his arm around her shoulder before turning back to Belle. "Well Belle," he said with a grin, "who's the lucky guy?"

It was at that moment that Adam Gold decided to make his appearance.

Everyone turned as the door opened, and then Ruby and Mary Margaret looked meaningfully at Belle. David looked from Gold, to Ruby, to Belle, and he made the connection, his jaw dropping open.

Adam, for his part, noticed the tension in the room and caught Belle staring at him, a look of utter embarrassment on her face. He smiled his business smile and said, "Good morning everyone," hoping he kept the embarrassment out of his own voice.

Belle fled. She all but ran back to the back room of the diner, completely embarrassed. Ruby gave David the menu she was holding and followed her friend to the back, prepared to do damage control.

She found Belle in the very back corner of the kitchen, her head in her hands and her back to the wall. Ruby approached slowly, and waited to see if Belle would say anything. When she didn't even look up, Ruby put a comforting hand on her shoulder and said, "You okay?"

Belle made a noise that was half way between a laugh and a sob, but didn't say anything else, so Ruby continued. "It wasn't that bad Belle. Mary Margaret and David are your friends; they aren't going to say anything or judge you. And Mr. Gold didn't even know what happened. You'll be okay."

Belle took a deep breath, pulling herself together. She finally looked up at Ruby. "Thanks," she said.

"No problem," Ruby said. "Now, you go back out there and give the man his coffee."

Belle shook her head fervently at that. "I can't go back out there!" She protested. "Not with the Nolans there. You know they'll pretend to be ignoring us, but they'll be watching us and make it even more awkward. I love them, but I don't need them hovering right now. Not when I don't even know what I'm doing."

Ruby nodded. "That's true. They aren't the subtlest people." To her relief, that got a laugh from Belle. "If you want, I can give him his coffee and the note."

"Thanks Rubs, that would be great! I… I just don't want to go back out there."

"Yeah, I got it," Ruby said.

"Okay, hang on a minute," Belle said. She went to where her purse lay on the counter and pulled out her notepad again. She figured this morning's little scene deserved at least an attempt at an explanation.

 _Dear Adam,_

 _I'm sorry, but I can't talk today. I hope I didn't cause too much of a scene this morning. My friends were being, well, difficult._ Belle laughed to herself as she wrote that part.

 _Anyway, when I see you next, I'll try to explain everything. Suffice it to say for now that I'm sorry, and I hope we get to talk again soon._

 _See you tomorrow?_

 _Belle_

She folded the note and handed it to Ruby. "Give him this one too, please," she said. Ruby smiled and nodded, taking both notes from Belle and turning to go. "Wait, Rubs," Belle said, and Ruby looked back at her questioningly. "Try not to let anyone else read that one, okay?"

Ruby laughed. "Gotcha girl," she said, and strolled out to the diner.

Belle sighed, turning back to her work, resigning herself to a day in the kitchen, at least until Adam and the Nolans left and her life went back to normal.


	6. Chapter 6

Toward the end of her shift, Belle finished cleaning off her tables, then headed back to the back to clock out for the day. She hung her apron on a peg next to the door, and punched her timecard.

"Heading out?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah," Belle said.

"Okey doke," Ruby said with a smile. "Have a good evening Belle! See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow," Belle said, returning her smile. She said goodbye to Granny on her way out, grabbing her purse and heading for the door. As she walked out of the diner, Belle thought about how she would spend her evening. She thought about the half-finished book Adam had given her yesterday, and smiled to herself, closing the door of the diner behind her.

As she turned down the sidewalk to head home, she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Belle."

Belle turned around slowly, and when she saw Adam standing there, leaning against the fence and smiling at her, Belle felt her face grow hot again.

"Uh, hi," she said nervously, looking down, biting her lip, and tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"Hi," he said, just about as awkwardly. "Uh, Ruby gave me your notes this morning, and told me when you got off," he said, hoping that explained why he was here.

"Look, Adam," Belle said, her voice shaking slightly, "I'm really sorry about all that, I just –"

"Belle, don't worry," he said, and she finally looked up and met his eyes. He smiled warmly at her, and some of the anxiety left her face. "You don't have to apologize," he said.

Belle was tired from the embarrassment that morning and the long day at work, and, encouraged by his disarming smile, she just started talking. "I left that first note at the table for you today, and then went back and made your coffee. While I was back there, Mary Margaret showed up and sat at your table. Of all the tables in the whole place, she had to pick that one! She probably saw the note and got curious," Belle said, realizing she was ranting, but going on anyway. "She read the note, and then showed it to Ruby. Of course, Ruby's been watching us the last few days, and so they started to speculate all kinds of things. Those two love to gossip. Then David walked in, and they said I had a crush on someone. When David asked me who, that's when you walked in. That's why everyone was staring at you this morning, and why I ran away and didn't say anything. I just didn't know what to do…"

Adam didn't think Belle had heard anything she just said. The words just came pouring out, but all Adam could think was, _she has a crush on me? Really? Me?_

Adam didn't respond, just kept blinking at her, his jaw slightly open, a look of bewilderment on his face. Belle hadn't meant to say as much as she had, and she honestly wasn't even sure how much she had said. It was like once she started talking, she just couldn't stop.

After a few moments of silence, Belle started talking again. "Anyway," she said, trying to act casual, "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean for any of that to happen. Of all the days someone comes in before you, it had to be the day I was dumb enough to leave a note on the table, with your name on it, and not watch it to make sure no one else found it, and…"

She kept apologizing, and Adam smiled, then took a chance. He leaned in and silenced her with a kiss. It was a light kiss, just enough to tell her he wasn't mad, she didn't have to apologize, and he felt the same way.

He pulled back, hoping he hadn't made a huge mistake, and looked at Belle, who looked shocked. Slowly, her blank, shocked expression turned into a light smile, and then a blush. He loved it when he made her blush like that.

It was pretty obvious she didn't know what to say, so he just said, "Have a good night Belle. I'll see you tomorrow."

Adam turned around and headed back to his pawnshop, not looking back, leaving a very confused but extremely pleased Belle standing in shock outside the diner.


	7. Chapter 7

"He WHAT?!" Ruby nearly yelled, her voice a mix of excitement and incredulity.

"Shhh!" Belle shushed her urgently, hoping Granny hadn't heard Ruby's outburst.

"Well what happened?" Ruby asked excitedly. "You gotta give me the whole story."

Belle laughed, shaking her head and looking away shyly. "I dunno," she said. "He was waiting for me outside the diner when I got off work,"

"Yeah," Ruby interrupted, "I might have told him when you would get off. Figured you could thank me later."

Belle laughed again. "Yeah, thanks Rubs. Anyway, I apologized for what happened yesterday morning, and, I don't know, I just kept talking, and saying things, I don't know what really…" Ruby gave her a look of disbelief. "What?" Belle protested. "I was embarrassed! I just kept talking, trying to explain and all…"

"And then he just kissed you?" Ruby interrupted again.

Belle nodded. "Pretty much."

Ruby laughed. "Well, what did you tell him? Did you say you liked him?" Belle just shrugged. "Oh come on Belle! You had to have said _something!"_

"Well, I guess I sort of said I liked him," she attempted, and Ruby snorted. "What?!" Belle said again. "I don't remember what I said exactly! I was just saying things because I was embarrassed!"

"Okay, I get it," Ruby placated with a laugh. "You were embarrassed. Got it." She smiled mischievously. "So…. _Do_ you like him?"

Belle blushed and shrugged, looking down again. "I don't know…. Yes, I think so."

"You think so?" Ruby giggled and shook her head. "Belle, you're not very experienced at this whole flirting and dating thing are you?"

"Well, no," Belle said.

"Alright," Ruby said determinedly. "I'm gonna help you."

Belle laughed, looking back up at Ruby in amusement. "Help me what?" She asked.

"Help you get the guy, of course!" Ruby said. "Although," she added, looking pensive. "It doesn't seem like you need my help getting him. Not after last night anyway."

"Ruby!" Belle protested.

"What? It's true! He obviously likes you," Ruby said. Belle just smiled and shrugged. "Well," Ruby continued. "Did he say anything else? After he kissed you?"

"He just said, 'Have a good night' and 'see you tomorrow'."

"That's it?" Ruby seemed disappointed.

Belle nodded. "Yeah. That's it." Belle waited to see if Ruby would say anything else, but she was quiet for the moment, so Belle went on. "I guess that means he'll be here this morning," she said, somewhat nervously. "So, what do we do?"

Ruby looked back at Belle. "Well, you have two options. One: you go out there, give him his coffee, and pretend like nothing happened. Or two: you go out there and sit down and talk to him."

Belle looked uncomfortable. After a moment, she said, "Or three, when he comes in, you give him his coffee and I hide in the kitchen and wait until he leaves."

"Belle, Belle, Belle," Ruby laughed. "You can't do that!"

"Why not?" Belle protested. "It seems about as reasonable as pretending nothing happened."

"Well, you said you like the guy, right?" Ruby asked. Belle nodded. "Well, then you can't hide back here. He knows you're working this morning, and if you hide back here it will look like you're avoiding him. If he thinks you're avoiding him, he'll think you don't like him back."

Belle had to admit that made sense, although the idea of going out there and facing him made her stomach knot. "Well," she said, "what do I do if there are other people out there? I can't just go out and talk to him if there are a bunch of other people there."

"Don't worry about that right now," Ruby advised. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, just think about what you want to say to him."

"Alright," Belle sighed.

"Good," Ruby said. "And while you're thinking, come help me clean the griddle before  
Granny kills us both."

Belle laughed and followed Ruby to get the cleaning supplies, glad for the momentary distraction that would give her some time to think.

* * *

Adam Gold arrived at the diner early the next morning. The more he thought about last night, the more unsure he became. Had he made a huge mistake? Belle hadn't said anything to him. Was that a good sign, or a bad sign? He wasn't sure.

The only thing he knew for sure was that he couldn't face Belle until he knew she wasn't furious at him. If she was upset about it, and they met in the diner, he didn't think he could take her shooting him down in public.

He could only think of one thing to do.

So, when he got to the diner, he watched as Belle and Ruby went inside through the back door. He noticed with relief that the back door didn't have a bell on it, and lead in to the main dining area of the diner.

Adam watched as the girls went in, then waited a few minutes. He went up to the door, listening to see if there was anyone else on the other side. It was all quiet, so he slowly opened the door and peaked inside. There was no one in the small hallway, so he made his way quietly to the main room of the diner.

Belle's purse sat on the counter, but there was no one in sight. He could hear voices coming from the kitchen area, which must have been Belle and Ruby. He took his chance.

Adam went over to the table in the back of the diner where he usually sat, and laid a note down on the table, then retreated out through the back door.

He didn't think anyone had heard him. Hopefully, Belle would find his note.

And then he'd know.


	8. Chapter 8

When Belle and Ruby were nearly finished cleaning off the griddle, they heard the bell on the front door ring. They both glanced at each other, Ruby grinning suggestively, and Belle attempting a smile, which came out more as a nervous grimace.

"Girls!" Granny called from the front. "Come help our customer!"

"Okay Granny!" Ruby called, then turned back to Belle. "That's your queue girl," she said with a grin, giving the reluctant Belle a slight push on the back. "Go get 'em."

Belle stumbled forward from Ruby's push, giving her friend a sneer over her shoulder. She took a deep breath, tried her best to put on a casual smile, grabbed the chipped coffee cup, which she had already filled with coffee, cream and sugar, and forced herself to walk out into the diner.

The first thing Belle noticed when she went into the main room of the diner was that the booth in the back was empty. The second thing she noticed was a slip of paper on that table. Belle frowned to herself, then turned when someone called her name from the front of the restaurant.

"Hi Belle!"

Belle was momentarily confused, but shook her head and sat the coffee cup down on the counter next to her, then hurriedly grabbed a menu, attempting to cover her confusion.

"Good morning Henry," she said. "Uh… What brings you in to the diner so early this morning?"

"Well," Henry said as Belle approached his table. "We don't have school today, but my mom still had to work. I woke up early, so I decided to come over here."

 _Right,_ Belle thought, _It's Saturday._ "Well, it's good to see you Henry," Belle said, laying the menu down on his table. She had to force herself not to glance over at the booth in the back, wondering what the note said.

"Thanks," Henry said, taking the menu. Belle nodded absentmindedly. "Hey Belle," Henry asked, and Belle looked back at him, raining her eyebrows. "What was in that cup you were carrying?"

"Huh?" Belle said, momentarily confused.

Henry pointed to the cup sitting on the counter where Belle had left it. "That one," he said. "There's no one else here, so no one has ordered anything."

 _He's far too curious for his own good,_ Belle thought. "Oh…" She said, trying to come up with a plausible excuse. "Um, it was my coffee."

"Oh, okay," Henry said, apparently accepting that, and turning his attention back to the menu in his hand. Belle sighed in relief. "Can I have some pancakes?" Henry asked.

"Sure thing," Belle said, taking the menu back from him. "Hot chocolate with cinnamon as well?"

Henry grinned. "Of course!"

"I'll be right back with that," Belle said, retreating back to the kitchen, where an anxious Ruby awaited her.

"Well," Ruby said. "Wasn't expecting that."

"Yeah," Belle agreed, not sure whether she was relieved or disappointed. A little of both, she supposed. "He left a note. On the table."

"What?" Ruby asked.

"I saw it when I went out there. There's a note on his table."

"When did he do that?" Ruby asked.

Belle shrugged. "I don't know."

"Well, go get it!" Ruby demanded excitedly.

"And you don't think Henry will notice?" Belle asked. "He even noticed that I was carrying a cup of coffee before I went to his table. He'll certainly notice if I go to the back and get a note from an empty table. Then he'll ask me about it, and I won't know what to say again and…."

"Belle," Ruby said sharply, grabbing her friend's shoulders. "You're worrying way too much about this. You never worry this much. Calm down girl! It'll be fine." Belle didn't look convinced. "How about this," Ruby proposed. "I'll go over and talk to Henry, distracting him. Then, you go over to the table with some cleaning supplies. Act like you're gonna clean it off. Then pocket the note. Henry won't even notice."

Belle sighed. "Alright," she said. "But we have to go now while Granny is busy and before anyone else comes in."

"Perfect," Ruby said. Without another word she turned and headed out into the diner, and went over to chat with Henry. Belle was glad her friend had the natural ability to make conversation with anyone, so Henry didn't think anything of it.

Belle waited until the two were engaged in their conversation, then grabbed the cleaning spray and a towel and walked as normally as she could manage to the booth in the back of the diner. She took Ruby's advice and pocketed the note quickly, then sprayed the table and wiped it down. When she was finished, she went back to the back, putting the cleaning spray away, and pulled out the note. It was written black ink; in his perfect penmanship she'd come to adore.

 _Belle,_

 _I'm sorry I can't make it in for coffee this morning. Duty calls, as it were._

 _Also, I'm sorry about last night. I don't know what I was thinking. I hope you can forgive my brashness._

 _I understand if you're upset. I understand if you don't want to see me again._

 _But, if you can somehow forgive me, come to my shop tonight at 7. I have something I want to show you._

 _Have a wonderful day,_

 _Adam_

Belle read the note over a few times, then put it back in her pocket and leaned against the wall. What should she do now? She wasn't upset, but she wasn't sure exactly what she felt.

A few moments later, as Belle continued leaning against the wall and thinking, Ruby returned. "Well?" She asked excitedly. "What did it say?"

Belle sighed, pulling the note out of her pocket and handing it to Ruby. She watched as Ruby read the note, a smile growing on her face when she reached the last line. When she was done reading the note, she laughed, and handed it back to Belle, who returned it to safety in her pocket.

"Well, obviously you're going over there tonight," Ruby said. Belle gave her an incredulous look, and Ruby laughed. "Oh don't tell me you're thinking of not going! Come on Belle!"

"Well, I don't know," Belle said. "I want to go, but… What would I say? What do I tell him, if I don't even know what I'm feeling?"

"Belle," Ruby sighed, "if there's one thing that's obvious from this note, it's that this guy is even less secure about this budding relationship than you are. But, obviously, you mean something to him. And he wants to see you again. In private. Where you two can talk alone. And, clearly, he means something to you, or you wouldn't be back here worried about what to say to him. So, you have to go."

Belle gave Ruby a weak smile. "Yeah," she sighed. "You're right." She paused, then asked, "You really think he's insecure about this? A man like him? He seems like the kind of person that would have it all figured out, you know?"

Ruby nodded. "Yeah, I know. He does. Which makes it even more crazy that you're having this effect on him. Clearly, he's just as confused about this as you are. So, even if it makes you uncomfortable, you gotta go talk to him." Belle nodded again. "Besides," Ruby added lightly, grinning at Belle. "Don't you want to know what he has to show you?"

Belle admitted that she did. So, it was settled. She had to go. She just hoped she'd know what to say.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Yes, I briefly wrote Regina into the end of this chapter. Her character in this is based more on season 1 and a bit of season 2 Regina, because as much as I love the way Regina is in the show now, it's way more fun writing her old verbal sparring with Gold. Anyway, enjoy!**

Later that evening, Adam Gold sat in the back room of his shop, absentmindedly dusting things and moving things around, all the while glancing at the clock to check the time. _Only 6:49,_ he thought, _it's not 7 yet._ He paced around anxiously, fidgeting with random things in the room.

 _What if she doesn't come?_ He worried. _Well, what if she_ does _come?_ Truly, he had no idea what he was going to say to her either way. He worried about her reaction. Would she be angry? Would she be happy? Would she even come?

Adam glanced at the clock again, annoyed when it only read 6:52. He sighed, then shook his head, laughing slightly at himself. He never got this flustered, especially not over a girl. He'd worked hard to maintain a reputation as a powerful man in their small town, and yet here he was worrying about what the waitress from the local diner thought about him. It was ironic, really.

Momentarily lost in his musings, Adam jumped when he heard the bell on the front door chime. He stood still for a minute, listening. There were a few moments of silence, and his heart started beating faster. He forced himself to breathe.

Then he heard her voice. "Hello?"

He loved her voice. "Um… Is anyone here?"

Adam took one more deep breath, picking up a small box off the counter, and walked through the curtain into the front room of the shop.

"Belle," he said, smiling in relief. "You came." He wanted to say more, but that was all he could think of at the moment.

She smiled shyly, nodding. "Yeah," was all she said.

There was a moment of awkward silence, so Adam said, "Look, Belle, I'm sorry about last night, I –"

"It's alright," she said, interrupting him. He smiled at that, and she blushed, realizing how quickly she'd said that. His smile widened when he saw her blush. It amazed him that he could always make her do that. It also made him feel a little better. It made him feel as if he wasn't the only one who wasn't quite sure where this was going.

Belle cleared her throat, then changed the subject. "You, uh… you said you wanted to show me something?"

"Oh, right, yes," he said, remembering the little box he had in his pocket. He pulled it out, then handed it to her. "This is for you," he said.

Belle gave him a curious smile, and took the box. It was a small white box, not much bigger than the palm of her hand. He had tied a little blue ribbon around it. The ribbon reminded him of her eyes. Not that he was going to tell her that.

Belle inspected the little box, but before she opened it, she glanced up at him. "You've already given me the book, I feel like it should be my turn to give you something," she said with a grin.

Adam laughed quietly. "No, no, don't worry about that," he said. "Just open it."

"Okay," Belle said, gently untying the ribbon from the box. She lifted the lid, and inside was a key. It had a circular keychain hanging from it, on which someone had written _Library._ Belle took the key out of the box and inspected it, then looked at Adam in confusion.

"It's the key to the town library," he said, then realized how dumb that sounded. She could have figured that much out on her own. He felt his own face get hot, and hoped that in the rather dim lighting Belle couldn't see him blush. "It's been neglected for years now," he hurried on, scratching the back of his neck and not meeting her eyes. "No one goes in there. I've had the key for a long time, but never had a reason to go. I figured, since you like books so much, you could make better use of the key than I have."

Belle's jaw dropped open, and she stared at him for a moment, at a loss for words. Just when Adam started to doubt the intelligence of his gift, Belle hugged him. It surprised him, and he took a second to react, standing there in shock. After a moment, he put his arms around her, returning her hug.

After a moment, Belle pulled away, looking up at him with a huge smile on her face. "This… I don't even know what to say," she said. "This is wonderful!"

Adam found himself matching her smile. "I… um, I'm glad you like it," he stammered.

Belle looked back at the key in her hand, smiling fondly. "It's perfect," she whispered.

There was another awkward silence as Belle just smiled at the key, and Adam stood there silently, not knowing what to say. As an attempt to break the silence, he said, "If you want, we can go over there and check it out tomorrow…"

"I'd love to!" Belle said, turning her smiling face back to him. When her eyes met his, he stared into them, momentarily lost in their blue depths. Belle just stared back at him, and this time the silence wasn't quite so awkward. After a few moments, Belle said, "I don't have to work tomorrow, it's Sunday." That sounded pretty lame to her, but she wasn't sure what else to say.

Adam took a deep breath, recovering his composure. "Wonderful," he said. "Meet me here at the shop at 10 and we can walk over together?"

"Sounds perfect," Belle replied. She was about to say more, but the little bell on the front door chimed, and they both turned to see who had come in.

"Hello Gold," said Regina, mayor of their little town.

"Regina." Was his only reply.

The atmosphere in the shop became suddenly colder, filled with a different kind of tension that hadn't been there before. It made Belle suddenly nervous. She looked between the two of them, noticing the cold looks they gave each other, and decided she didn't want to be in the middle of whatever was about to happen. All the warmth she'd seen in Adam's eyes a minute ago was gone, and he almost looked like a different person.

Belle hurriedly put the key back in its box, grabbed her purse, and stuck the box inside it. "Well," she said, "I'd better get going…"

"What's the rush dear?" Regina said, conveniently standing in front of the door, blocking Belle's exit. "Why don't you tell me what business you have at the pawn shop so late." Her smile was mocking, and Belle just looked away, not sure what to say.

Thankfully, Adam came to stand in front of Belle, and said "It's none of your business Regina. Leave her out of this."

Regina snickered at him, but she moved away from the door. Adam turned around to face Belle and gave her an encouraging smile. "I'll see you tomorrow, Belle," he said softly. "Have a nice evening dearie."

Belle attempted a smile in return. "Yeah," she said, "See you tomorrow."

With that, Belle made her way out of the pawnshop, avoiding eye contact with Regina. When she was safely outside, Belle took a deep breath, and shook off the strange exchange she just had. She reached into her purse, pulling the key out again, smiling. She wished it were tomorrow already.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Just wanted to give a quick shout out to Melstrife and ReginaQueenofHogwarts, thank you guys for the awesome reviews, it means a lot! Also, thanks to all the readers who've made it to through 10 chapters with me, thanks for reading! Enjoy!**

The next morning, Belle made her way to the library, a brilliant smile on her face. She had to keep herself from running, and continuously reminded herself to slow down and walk normally. She could hardly contain her excitement.

 _How did I never know there was a library in this town?_ She wondered. _And why has it been closed for so long?_ While these questions confused her, Belle found that she couldn't bring herself to worry about them too much. The prospect of seeing the library, and seeing Adam, was just too exciting.

As she walked, Belle imagined herself as the town's next librarian. She imagined reopening the library, and running it herself, and sharing her love of reading with everyone in the town.

Of course, Adam was there too. Every time she pictured herself in the library, reading a book to a group of fascinated children, he was always in the back, watching her with a smile. And after she was done reading, the kids would leave, and she'd go up to him…

 _Stop it,_ she told herself. _You're making up silly fantasies. And with a guy you've only known for a few days!_

Somehow, though, her logical side couldn't quite banish the images from her head.

Soon enough, Belle arrived at the front door to the library. "Good morning Belle," she heard a voice say from behind her. She turned around, seeing Adam approach from a bench across the street.

"You're here early," was all she could think to say. She glanced at her watch; it was only 9:47.

Adam chuckled. "So are you," he said, causing Belle to blush and look down. After a moment of silence, he said, "Shall we?" and gestured toward the library door.

Belle smiled, then fetched the library key from her purse. She turned to the door, and with a quick smile back at Adam, put the key in the door and slowly pushed it open.

The lighting was dim in the library; most of the windows were covered in newspapers and the lights didn't appear to work. Nonetheless, Belle gasped as she saw how many books there were in the library. "There are more books in here than I could read in a lifetime!" She said, and Adam smiled, watching her as she slowly turned around, taking in the entire library.

Belle walked up to the circulation desk in the front of the library, and ran her finger across the surface. It came away covered in dust, and she held it up for Adam to see. "Doesn't look like anyone's been in here for quite a while," she commented.

He nodded. "No one knows why it was closed, but you're probably the first person to set foot in here in years."

Belle nodded, frowning, and brushed the dust off her finger. Then, she walked over to the nearest shelf, inspecting the books. They didn't appear to be in any kind of order, at least as far as she could tell. "Well," Belle sighed, "whoever closed it didn't leave it in the greatest shape."

Adam nodded his consent, still watching her with a smile. He watched as she gently pulled a book off the shelf, holding it reverently and dusting off its cover.

 _She's looking at that book like it's the greatest thing she's ever seen,_ he thought. _I wish she'd look at me like that._

"Look," Belle said, and Adam realized she was holding the book out to him. He quickly shook his head, trying to clear his embarrassingly traitorous thoughts. He took the book, then looked at her questioningly.

"That book was written by someone with the last name French," she said excitedly.

She was looking at him like that meant something important, but Adam wasn't sure what she meant by it.

"Oh, right," Belle laughed, almost to herself. Then, louder, she explained. "That's my last name."

"Oh," Adam said, his confused expression turning in to a grin. "A relative of yours I presume?" he said teasingly.

Belle laughed, and took the book back from him, placing it gently back on the shelf. "Perhaps," she said, then giggled. Belle turned around and leaned on the shelf, crossing her arms and giving Adam an interrogative look. "So," she said, "how did you get the key to this place anyway?"

Adam shrugged. "Someone sold it to me, a long time ago," he explained.

"And you never came over here?" Belle asked, and he shook his head. "You weren't even curious?" she asked.

He shrugged. "It's a library Belle," he said, "I knew what I'd find here." She didn't look satisfied, so he added, "besides, I never really had a reason to come over here."

Belle grinned. "Well," she said, "now you do."

He grinned back. "I do?" He asked, and she nodded emphatically. "And what, may I ask, is my reason?"

"Me," Belle said simply, then laughed. "You're going to help me put this place back in order."

"Oh, I am, am I?" He asked with a smirk.

"Yes you are," Belle said.

"And what would Granny say if you started spending all your time here at the library instead of working at the diner?" He laughed.

He'd meant it as a joke, but Belle's face fell. "Oh," she said. "I didn't really think about that."

Adam immediately regretted what he had said. He hadn't meant to disappoint her. She looked so dejected, and he wished he hadn't said anything. He already missed her happy smile.

"Belle," he said quietly, putting his hands on her shoulders. "I was only joking. You can come down here whenever you like. In the evenings, on the weekends, and whenever you get some time off." She didn't look convinced, so he went on. "The place is yours now Belle," he said gently. "I'm sure you'll get it back into working order in no time."

Belle looked at him warily, her smile returning slowly. "So…" she said, "You'll help me?"

He smiled at her. "Of course I will."

"Thank you," Belle said, and then she kissed him.

Adam was surprised at first, but when Belle wrapped her arms around his neck, he felt himself returning her kiss. It was not nearly as awkward as their first kiss, and something about it just felt right.

It was over too soon, and Belle pulled away, still resting her forehead against his. "You'd better come to the diner for coffee tomorrow morning," Belle whispered against his lips. As soon as she said it, she realized how dumb that sounded, but thankfully Adam just smiled.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," he whispered back.


End file.
